“Drift,” a painting by Willem Boronski, offers viewers a rich array of shapes, colours, emotions, meanings and symbolism. At first glance, a chaotic play of colours, layers and textures dominates the canvas. But the longer one looks, a subtle rhythm and underlying order reveal themselves in what initially seems like chaos.

A closer look reveals profound and nuanced elements. A symbolic ladder, carefully constructed from wooden pieces attached to the canvas, lends the painting a tactile, three-dimensional quality. This ladder intriguingly divides the work into what appears to be an upper and underworld, inviting the viewer on a journey of discovery between these realms.

Boronski’s choice to create “Drift” over three years in the outdoors was motivated by his curiosity about what would “drift.” He was open to materials that arrived, to what was on the property at a particular time, and to the thoughts and activities that occupied him. The evolution of the painting is recorded in various videos and photos, which show what was ‘driving’ it over time.

Exposed to the elements, the canvas is shaped not only by the artist’s hand and thought, but also by the unpredictable whims of nature. Sun, rain, snow and wind all played their role and introduced new elements that were

not previously thought of. The changing activities on the farm could also never have been precisely determined in advance. It was precisely Boronski’s idea to see what ‘happened’ to the yard, to be open to it and to investigate how he could use these elements in an interesting way for his painting. The canvas, a living entity, was constantly evolving under the influence of these natural elements, adding a dynamic and unpredictable element to the creation process.

Fate ultimately determined what came along, and Boronski viewed all these elements with an open mind. His open-mindedness, inspired by these influences, has given them a place on the canvas. Sometimes, these elements settled spontaneously on the canvas, or the wind moved the painting to another side of the yard, with interesting consequences. This caused holes, broken wooden panels, and damage to the paint due to the storm. By accepting and even embracing these changes as welcome and inspiring influences, Boronski created an intriguing work. Sometimes, beautiful compositions were destroyed, but sometimes, something unexpectedly beautiful emerged. Embracing fate has made this painting a fascinating work of art.